Jumping.....teaching my young mare to jump under saddle, and learning myself

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chilworth23

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Ok, so i've lunged her and free schooled her jumping, and for a 14hh mare, she has a HELL of a jump on her! she jumps 3ft6 like its not even there.....

However i'm struggling to jump her under saddle, im a nervous jumper and not a very experienced jumper, and its all going wrong, any tips ???
 
I guess the easy answer is get someone else to do it???!

But if you want to do it yourself what I did with my mare was set myself up with grab strap plus neck strap, think positive thoughts and start small! Most important thing is to give them their head (to a reasonable extent) so no yanking in mouth - hence neck strap! that way you have the security to hold on but can let them find their own way over fences.

It should all come together pretty quickly! But just start small so you feel confident and so your horse will feel confidence from you!
 
Ive had her from wild and broken her from myself, she has just turned 5. I can deal with her rearing, the crazy spook at the invisible monster, the excitableness when hacking, but for some reason this is my stumbling block, i cant seem to get the confidence and nerve to do it. But she wont allow anyone else near her! (major trust issues)
 
im tempted to shorten stirrups and think sod it, and just go for a 3ft jump, to try to combat my nerves, i get all pyhsced up, then when i get there, im like, argh i cant!
 
You wont do yourself or the horse any favours if you are nervous, and well backed confident horses should not display behaviour like you are describing, do you have a good instructor, it could save you a lot of hassle in the future?
 
Have you thought about having a lesson at a riding school or on an experienced horse so that you can can build your own confidence jumping before trying to jump your own horse? Definatley start small and maybe ask someone on the yard if they can reccomend a good instructor to help you.
 
Yeh, ive been googling local instructors, to see if any would come to my yard. sent a few emails so, so fingers crossed! i never remember being this nervy before about it!!
 
Good luck with finding an instructor, this is the most important time in your horses education and if you get it right now then hopefully you will have many happy years and memories with her. Remember everybody needs help from some one at some time:)
 
If you can't get an instructor, and if you cannot get your horse comfortable with someone else on her, and if you are determined to start jumping her before either of the above:

Go back to poles on the ground, for both of your sakes;

Go back to small grids.

If you're unsure of anything - research, read up everything you can find.

If you 'just go for it' you and the horse might be lucky and all might be fine; if you're not then you may well batter your's and your horse's confidence to the point where neither of you will want to jump again.
 
I think finding a sympathetic experienced local instructor is your answer. But in the meantime to build your confidence a bit why not do pole work and put poles round the arena in various places and just incorperate them into your flat schooling sessions. Do the same with wings as well so you school round, over and through them. You may be able to pop them up to little crosses and just carry on schooling over them and go from there. Just a suggestion. But I wouldn't try the "go for it" approach as however capable she appears on the lunge I'd worry about balance etc. with a rider on for the first time with no polework or build up over smaller fences. It may work or as Mrs. M says it could set you back considerably, all you need is for her to peck on landing and not be able to get her balance and you could all end up in a heap with more confidence issues!
 
Soo i made a new friend at the yard today, turns out she owns on of the other 2 mares mine shares a field with, and she's a riding instructor, not to much older than me, and nice, so she is gonna give me a few freebies!
 
And the lady i share my tack room with is a dressage instructor, lol, think im gonna like my new yard! thanks for all your help, im gonna stick a flash between the d rings to make sure im nice to her mouth!
 
Squeak said:
Have you thought about having a lesson at a riding school or on an experienced horse so that you can can build your own confidence jumping before trying to jump your own horse? Definatley start small and maybe ask someone on the yard if they can reccomend a good instructor to help you.
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i agree with this totally, if you get your confidence on another horse, you'll feel far better, and be far less likely to make mistakes on your own horse.

she's only 5, it's far better to wait and do it properly than be nervous and both of you lose your confidence. from what you've said, your little lass has already had a rough time before you. it's not worth 1 step forward and 20 back for the sake of 6 months or so (it prob won't even take that long to get you full of confdence!!)
 
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